April 2023

Even though Fort Worth, Texas, Lake Worth, Florida, and Worth Street in Manhattan are all named after William Jenkins Worth, this famous American general is buried in the heart of Manhattan, across the street from the Flatiron Building.

In fact, General Worth (1794–1849) died in San Antonio, Texas of cholera. His body was temporarily interred at Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, before being buried here in 1857. And it was a big deal, too, with a funeral procession that included 6,500 soldiers.

General Worth’s monument features a 51 foot-high obelisk of Quincy granite inscribed with battle sites meaningful to his military career.

It must have looked quite grand when first erected, and in just about any other city it would still be a conspicuous structure. Here in NYC, however, it’s dwarfed by skyscrapers, and overlooked by most passers by.

Last time I was here, a food cart stood right beside the monument. My friend, Andi, and I asked the hotdog guy if he knew he’d parked next to the grave of a famous general. The man had no idea.

If you look closely, you’ll notice crossed swords as a decorative motif. This is a nod to the Congressional Sword of Honor awarded to General Worth.

And see that rectangular structure next to the monument? In 1940, part of the fence surrounding the obelisk was removed to make way for an above ground utility shed which services the water supply system pipes that run below.

Since 1995, an endowment created by the descendants of General Worth have provided maintenance for the monument as well as the flower bed here.Read more